A 3 days and 3 nights experience that brought memories and taught me a lesson. Scheduled to go to Busan from Seoul through the KTX train, which cost 56,000 won ($47) on Friday, October 1st by 7:50, I and my friend left the dorm early as we had calculated. Thinking that we would be able to get some dinner before we entered the train, we continued planning the events we would experience when we got to Busan. We got to the KTX train, however, it was almost time for our train to depart, so we were forced to get in without dinner. The trip to Busan had begun with a horrible encounter. During our time on the train, the night light and the quietness with only the sounds of the moving train had taken over that horrible encounter. Getting to Busan, it was almost midnight, so we had to rush to meet the train to Haeundae, where our hotel (90,000 won/$77) was located. The morning of the next day came. We got ready to experience the first event we had planned, going to Museum DAH. I had seen this museum on TikTok and wanted to see for myself the beautiful setting I had watched. Not entirely knowing the price for this place, we got there and found out it was only 18,000 won ($15.27). A perfect price for a student like me. Museum DAH, this place encompassed colors of all kinds, beautiful flowers, paintings, and objects that spoke to your emotions. I was so happy to be there, I felt beauty, royalty, elegance, and others; like this trip was going to be a success. After that, we set out for the second event, Haeundae Blueline Sky Capsule. When we got there, we had found out that the tickets for the capsule had been done, which we were sad about; but that didn’t spoil our day. We decided to go to the nearest place, the beach, which was obviously free. The sun setting and moving water with people in the background made that day even more beautiful. To end it, we got some food at the Seomyeon Food Alley and a hotdog restaurant, which cost 11,800 won ($10.01) all together.
Starting the next day by 1 pm, we went to the Oryukdo Sky Walk that was comprised of a transparent view of the sea beneath our feet. This was also free, with a sight of mountains and seeing the city from a further prospect. My friend and I then separated to enjoy the rest of the day doing the things we wanted. The Busan Museum of Art, which I planned to visit, was my next destination. I experienced my first VCR virtual, which portrayed artworks with meanings the artist had written. It was a great experience that was composed of different levels and forms of work. We finished that Sunday by treating ourselves to an all-you-can-eat meat buffet at Boi Brazil (39,000 won/ $33), which I recommend trying if you take a trip to Busan. This was expensive for a student like me, but it was worth it. The final day of my trip in Busan came when we would be going back to Seoul in the evening through train (35,000 won/$30). I decided to end it by going to a movie theater, which was surprising. Their chairs were beds that had a charging spot connected to them, I loved it. This was a wonderful experience that I would never forget. Although, I would advise that when going to Busan, make sure to have a backup plan in case your first plan does not happen. This had brought a bump in my trip but the events I had encountered outweighed any mishaps. All together, this trip cost 269,800 won ($229), the example of the reality of a broke college student on a Busan trip.
Ruona Odharo is a student at Sam Houston State University. She is an ISA Identity & Inclusion Blogger and is studying abroad with ISA in Seoul, South Korea.